company research: edtech
This is my second round of company research and it went well [the last one was months and months ago]. When I was doing my remote job search using job board sites and LinkedIn, I gravitated towards the education technology industry jobs or "edtech." I've noticed that I have an interest in micro-learning, on-the-go learning, edtech, audio publishing platforms, and audiobooks because the companies that encompassed those areas stood out the most to me at first glance. I appreciate novel solutions in the area of learning & education, whether that is self-education, learning through online creators, mentors, or specialized courses and apps from companies & universities.
Here are 10 companies which I've found to be the most interesting in the edtech space. The edtech space leverages innovative technological solutions to enhance teacher-led learning and improve student outcomes.
Brainscape - specializes in "smart" flashcard creation using spaced repetition. Also encompasses the sphere of mobile learning [mlearning] and adaptive learning. Uses the science of learning to hone the perfect interval in between repetitions. Users can also record audio and upload it on flashcards.
I've personally felt empowered through studying because I used it as a method to solve my immediate problems. I've used spaced repetition in my own past learning projects. Are online flashcards the future of studying? I don't know, but it is a pretty intriguing concept.
Teachable- I learned coding from a course creator on this platform. If I ever become a course creator, I would love to work with this platform. I like creators & a lot of my 'pod education' which I've written about involved listening into convos with online creators. I already enjoy sharing what I know so it would be a very easy transition.
Beelinguapp - there's a Stephen Krashen quote on the very front page of their site! If you don't know who he is, he is an educational researcher who has written extensive articles on second language acquisition.
I feel excited about the idea that I'm utilizing content from native language voice actors' narration and reading along with them. I've learned a lot of my languages through music and lyrics which have been super enjoyable. I've also consumed a lot of content and info through audio. In my learning of French, I used this similarly-minded platform called LingQ so using an app like this aligns with my personal philosophy of music, audio, and language learning.
Mentor- I want to be a part of this in some way. I have a virtual mentors list right now [whose writings/quotes I consult when I am in the midst of the decision-making process] which I keep in a Notion document. There are a number of people I look up to. I would like to get a mentor one day, either through this platform or through another strategy. I've had a life coach before whose advice really helped me through a rough patch.
Again, I have an interest in the online creator space. Through taking courses on Skillshare, through writing in this blog, I am trying to get back into my creativity after putting it on the back burner for so long. I would love to assist others in accessing the knowledge of experts in order to solve their problems.
Maven - these people are trying to build "the university of the future." It's more community-based than edX, Coursera, & Udemy since it focuses on live, cohort-based classes. Again, creators sharing their expertise. AI & ChatGPT are also used as well as well as performing hands-on learning projects.
Hallo - AI & language learning in combination. Acquiring effective communication skills. These areas look appealing.
Superprof - in any subject or skill, I can work with people that are more knowledgeable than me. Career coaching, French speaking, job searching techniques, anything that I'm curious about! I love the thought of people helping one another with knowledge.
edX - companies give out courses, not just universities [a little different from Coursera]. I love this concept.
Knowable - in their own words, "in demand skills with actionable, podcast-style lessons from top experts." Audio courses taught by experts as well as summaries of popular books.
Listenable - bite-sized audio courses on the go!
Now, that I'm finished with this second round of research, I can perfect my pitch to sell myself to one of these companies.